The Perfect Mother’s Day
Today I had the wonderful opportunity to appear on a morning news channel to talk about locally grown flowers and encourage viewers to buy from local farmers. They mentioned they’d like some action, tips and tricks, etc. Brainstorming for the spot really got me thinking about what makes Mother’s Day, and flowers, special to me. My mind started to swim with ideas about locally grown, seasonal produce and products. What, I thought, makes an arrangement “farmy”? I think the answer to all of these questions lies in simplicity and making something by hand, and “making do”. When I was in the Peace Corps my best friend would tease me for my obsession with a blog called “Homespun Heart” where a woman would throw picnics in the woods with homemade quilts and mason jars packed into wicker baskets. What drew me was and is the wabi-sabi nature of these things- being tied to nature, handmade, and never perfect. Not so far off from navigating being a kid or a mom. Ultimately all we really need is to feel we belong to each other, and find ways to show that we love each other. I think flowers are perfect for this. As a mom I am overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that enters my house that ultimately I have to throw away. This is why our bouquets are wrapped in paper, with a rubber band or raffia, and never plastic. I want whoever receives them to feel so comfortable enjoying them and then tossing them in the compost or the recycling without a second thought.
So here are a few of my ideas for the perfect wabi-sabi, “farmy” Mother’s Day:
Containers: Mason jars, jam jars, bud vases made from leftover vanilla bottles or juice shots. For a big arrangment, a pitcher is perfect.
For Breakfast in Bed: I’m starting to get the impression I’m the only one, but I LOVE breakfast in bed. Maybe because I’m married to someone who will make it and clean it up and it’s truly a luxury where I can hang out and read a book and listen to my family cook in the other room. So Dads and kids: make a little bud vase for the breakfast tray. Leave the big arrangement in the kitchen for mom to enjoy when she gets up! We do not need tips and spills. Just cut 1-3 blooms from the main arrangement and Voila! Fancy pancakes. Or my husbands no-fail menu: Trader Joe’s chocolate croissant, fruit and coffee. Bonus points for a cloth napkin. We only do this once a year!
Choose to Enjoy it: It is so easy to make gifts feel like chores. Refilling the water on a vase of flowers, for example. I’ve realized that when I’m feeling that way, I’m giving into an artificial need to hurry on to something more productive. I’m teaching myself to slow down and allow myself to enjoy simple things. To settle into gratitude. Flowers help me do this more than just about anything else. I ask myself: am I really seeing them? Am I really appreciating them? Am I breathing? Take a few seconds and look at your flowers like you would a piece of art in an art gallery. Which colors are speaking to you? Are there any that you hate? What shapes are you seeing? You deserve the few moments it takes to do this.
Happy Mother’s Day!!
